Skin. Skin problems such as
acne and
psoriasis are made worse by stress.

An extreme reaction to stress is a panic attack. A panic attack is a sudden, intense fear or anxiety that may make you feel short of breath, dizzy, or make your heart pound. People who have panic attacks may feel out of control, like they are having a heart attack, or are about to die. Panic attacks may happen with no clear cause, but they can be brought on by living with high levels of stress for a long time. For more information on panic attacks, see the topic Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder.

How stress affects your thoughts and emotions

You might notice signs of stress in the way you
think, act, and feel. You may:

Feel cranky and unable to deal with even
small problems.

Feel frustrated, lose your temper more often, and
yell at others for no reason.

Feel jumpy or tired all the
time.

Find it hard to focus on tasks.

Worry too much
about small things.

Feel that you are missing out on things because
you can't act quickly.